Winter

Known in French as Poisson à la Bordelaise, this fish gratin is a French family staple. Fish fillets are topped with a mix of parsley, shallots cooked in white wine, lemon and breadcrumbs, and then baked in the oven until crunchy and golden – while the fish remains utterly tender underneath. This quick and simple recipe can be made with any white fish of your liking.

Known in French as “Endives Au Jambon”, this Belgian Endive and Ham Gratin is a typical dish from Northern France and Belgium. Endives are wrapped in ham slices, smothered in a thick layer of voluptuous Mornay Sauce and baked until bubbly perfection. It’s a great contrast of pleasantly bitter verdure under creamy deliciousness.

Fork-tender beef in a rich red-wine gravy nestled with veggies makes the Beef Bourguignon one of the most acclaimed French recipes around the world. As its name suggests, this beef stew originates from Burgundy (Bourgogne), a French region prized for producing exceptional cattle meat as well as red wine, which are both the star ingredients of this local dish.

A Breton Pound Cake, known as “Quatre-Quarts” (four quarters) is the ubiquitous French snacking cake. It’s simple, not-too-sweet, just dense enough to be eaten with your hands and full of buttery flavors. This version is studded with lightly caramelized apple chunks to keep it moist and irresistible. A great year-round recipe for your baking repertoire!

Before wrapping up the holidays, there is one final occasion the French take to eat and rejoice: the Fête des Rois, or “Feast of the Kings.” Set on January 6, the day of the Epiphany (honoring the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem), this celebration involves eating a Galette des rois, or king cake—two circles of buttery puff pastry filled with sweet, creamy frangipane—in which a trinket, called a fève, has been hidden.

After a festive or comforting meal, a fruit salad is always a welcome ending on a lighter and more refreshing note – even in the Winter! This Winter Fruit Salad plays with in-season fruits: pears, apples, clementines, kiwis and pomegranate seeds. This is a colorful, vitamin-packed mix of sweet flavors and crisp textures, that looks as beautiful as it tastes.

Braised Rabbit with Prunes (Lapin aux Pruneaux) is a great classic dish from the French repertoire. Delicate rabbit meat gets braised in white wine with salty bacon and sweet prunes –beloved by the French- to create a deliciously rich, thick and slightly sticky sauce. This succulent combination of sweet and salty flavors is quite unique in French cuisine, which makes this dish very memorable. 

Rye flour, a good amount of honey and a unique spice blend are the key components of a great Classic French Spiced Bread – also known as Pain d’Épices. This cross between a cake and a bread is a holiday staple in France. It can be found on most Christmas market stalls, sold in big slabs. It is also a favorite to make amongst home bakers as it is a really simple recipe that makes the house smell wonderful. This is a perfect crowd pleaser for the Holidays.

In France, a proper Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Bûche de Noël. This wooden log look-a-like cake, traditionally made of a rolled-up Génoise cake frosted with Chocolate buttercream, is part of the official conclusion to a Christmas feast. A holiday ritual no one will pass on – even with an overfilled belly. 

If there’s one French Holiday cookie recipe to have in your repertoire, this is the one. These Butter sablés from the Alsace region, known as “butterbredele”, are the most common cut-out cookies made and enjoyed over the Holidays in France. They are buttery, subtly flavored with lemon zest and satisfyingly crisp yet sandy.